When the Ship Docks
by Rose-Arwen-Padme
Summary: A movie vignette. Rose's P.O.V. during the scene on deck when she tells Jack she's getting off with him, whether it makes sense or not... "That's why I trust it."


_Summary:_ Rose's P.O.V. during that fateful scene on deck after they've alluded the stewards in the cargo bay.

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_**When the Ship Docks**_

_**A Rose Vignette**_

**Written By Rose-Arwen-Padmé**

They were rigid, metal, and made too much noise for my liking when stepped upon. They were lined with sharp edges that protruded dangerously at the corners. Ultimately, they were a young child's nightmare to fall and scrap a knee upon—and Jack and I ascended those stairs as fast as we could, with the grace and caution of two wild drunks.

Because Jack was in front of me, he reached the door first. Truth be told, we both probably had no idea where in the world this door would lead, only that it would take us to another part of the immense ship. We'd been climbing the stairs, laughing like content lunatics, ever since we'd "escaped" from the cargo bay. We couldn't help but stick around, hidden behind loads of luggage, to watch the reactions of the nosy stewards as they'd vainly searched for us. We had just managed to get hurriedly get clothed after we'd… after our… after…

I could feel the blush on my already red cheeks growing stronger.

With my right hand in his left grip, Jack slammed his right half of his body into the mystery door. Because of my strong momentum, I quickly brushed past him as he paused in the doorway. The blinding lights that had surrounded us suddenly gave way to the peaceful night sky above. If I had been any calmer, I might have paused to marvel at the white, glowing, jewels incased in the black canvas. As it was, the only thing I could see in my mind's eye was the hilarious look on the two stewards' faces after they'd thought they discovered us. Fresh laughter bubbled forth, and I leaned forward as the noisy sounds of my merriment came out. Jack's own engaging laughter echoed in conjunction with mine.

In my somewhat delirious state, suddenly my complete focus was on the fact that Jack's warm hand was no longer in my own. For a few brief moments that felt much longer than they actually were, I felt a dreadful empty, cold feeling that started in the pit of my stomach before spreading out through my body. I wanted to witness his eyes on me, not on the door behind us, where he had turned in a clumsy attempt to slam the door shut. In the same exact instant when I felt selfish and spoiled for wanting all of Jack's attention and his constant touch, I also felt, with every fiber of my being, like I _should_ and _could_ want it that way. An indescribable sensation of _not_ feeling like I had to make any excuses about my emotions towards Jack caused another wave of blissful laughter from me. _Well, I suppose that's love_, I thought.

I rebelled against my body's momentum, and turned to wait for Jack's touch once again. I didn't have to wait long for his hand to determinedly find my own. Remembering, I found the sound of the door slamming shut, and then ricocheting back open strangely incredibly amusing. It added fuel to my already very loud laughter. Jack, who'd given up closing the damn thing after one attempt, took a few steps with me before stopping. Gleefully, I understood that he was swinging me around, and I extended my left arm as best I could, to pretend that I was flying—much like I had earlier, when he'd soared with me on the bow of the ship during the beautiful sunset. But it was so hard to completely extend my arm, seeing as how I was still doubled over with endless laughter. As the noise of our hoarse, not-too-pretty laughter echoed in my ears, I faintly heard my mother's stiff voice saying that we sounded like donkeys—before I promptly snuffed that voice out of my head without another thought.

Jack, still with that beautiful grin on his face, continued to swing me around towards his body. I very willingly obliged, and soon we were grasping each other's arms and pulling closer again. I firmly gripped his forearms, and he snaked his hands around my side, and rested them on my lower back. I jumped so high, I'd thought I'd surely jump out of my skin—well, on the inside, that is. My internal motion of utter shock was so hidden on the outside, that I doubt Jack had any idea I'd made any irregular movement at all. The cause of my great surprise was one simple thing—naturalism. The realization of how natural and normal and _right_ it felt for Jack to hold me so very intimately, without a pause for consideration, had hit me with a large force. I remembered what I'd thought to myself earlier, without my mind even noticing what my heart had said… "_Well, I suppose that's love…"_

Love. I love this man. I _love_ him.

Surely I'd known it when I'd tracked him to the bow of the ship. Surely I'd known it when his lips had first touched mine while we'd been "flying". Surely, when I asked for and allowed the young man to draw me wearing nothing but a necklace and a coy smile, surely I'd known it then! I _must_ have felt the sweet tendrils of it much earlier than that, when I had followed him into forbidden territory—the party in the third class. And when I surrendered to my emotions and gave into passion in the cargo bay below….

With an internal shrug, I just knew that I knew it now, and that was all that really mattered. And with a slow, wide smile, I realized that I had plenty of time to tell Jack just how much I loved him.

_How could love like this possibly be forbidden? What I feel is so raw, so real, so… right._ I sighed softly as I continued to gaze on him lovingly. All the cliché phrases that I'd read in those senseless romance books assaulted me with a strange sense of justice that I didn't understand. _I can't let this go. This is so much more than some fling, some whimsical affair on a ship to look back on forty years from now with a timid smile with the thought, "Yes, I did that once!" I can't let him go._

I quickly put aside the thought that he might be able to come with me—the absurdity of the idea that my mother would forgive and understand me, and then accept him into our family! I laughed gently, and sought Jack's eyes. I'd have to make a choice. I'd have to make the biggest decision of my entire life.

"Did you _see_ those guys faces?!"

_He's so beautiful… I love hearing his laugh. I love seeing his eyes glimmer like that._

Jack almost choked on his laughter. "Did you see the…"

_You see people, Jack. I see _you_. I choose you._

As if staking my claim, I placed my soft fingers on his moving lips. He went silent almost immediately. I felt his hands tighten around me protectively.

The firmness with which I had made my decision earlier deserted me. It wasn't that I was having doubts—no, I knew what I wanted to say was exactly what I wanted. However, the courage to get the words out….well, the supply of my bravery at that moment left something to be desired.

The fact that I knew I had Jack's complete, total attention didn't help at all. He was just looking at me with those honest eyes, but I was suddenly the shy, timid girl, who couldn't believe the fervent things we'd done minutes ago in the back of the Renault. Although I trusted him, I felt emotionally naked, frantically nervous, innocent, naïve, and somehow insecure. After moving my hand to cup his cheek, I tried to look him in the eyes several times, but would soon find myself darting my focus away from those two blue-green pools of silent question.

Being the patient, understanding Jack that he was, he simply stood there, holding me firmly, waiting for me to gather my words together. _He_ was the source of my inspiration and bravery.

"When the ship docks," I paused, and firmly raised my eyes to make direct eye-contact with him. _Here I go…_ "I'm getting off with you."

Jack made a face like someone had sucked the air out of his lungs. After a moment, though, his wide, crocked grin that I had come to know so well graced his features. His eyes told me all that I needed to know.

"This is crazy."

No long sonnet, no long declaration of anything—just three simple words that were so Jack—just what I'd wanted and needed to hear. A blissful laugh escaped my chest. "I know! It doesn't make any sense!" _We're young and in love, it doesn't have to make sense!_

I ran my manicured nails across the nape of his neck and through his hair. The softness of his golden strands rivaled the finest silk that I'd ever been privileged to wear. There was no hint of the whimsical tone heard in my most recent statements in my next words. I knew he could hear the sincerity in my words now. "That's why I trust it."

Those eyes of his stared at me with such unbridled love that I had never witnessed before in a man. Every heated pore of his body seemed to scream his returned devotion to me. I watched his hot gaze travel from my eyes to my lips and back again. His eyes made this journey several times, and I knew and understood exactly what he wanted, as my own eyes gazed with longing and lust at his lips. Primal passion took over as I leaned forward first, capturing our lips in a burning exchange.

At first, once or twice, I opened my eyes briefly, just to make sure this was all real. Quickly satisfied, I returned to the focused exploration of his lips.

I didn't care who saw us standing there, arms wrapping tighter and tighter around each other every passing minute, lips hungry, and hearts pounding. Bring all the stewards as our audience! Bring the captain of the Titanic! Bring King George V of England! Or worse—bring my mother and Cal! I didn't care who or what saw us exhibiting our raw love and desire.

I. Did. Not. Care.

One person, and one person only occupied my mind and heart—Jack Dawson. And it was his hands and his lips that were keeping my mind a whirling blur. His ministrations took me soaring as high as he had earlier at sunset, and they brought back fresh memories from the Renault that had only just begun to settle in my mind.

Countless of minutes later, breathless and on unsteady feet, we finally separated our lips more than three inches. Panting softly, we stared at each other in wonder. Gradually, knowing smiles stretched across our flushed faces.

Jack gently moved a flying tendril of my red hair out of my face. He tucked the stubborn curl behind my ear, though he knew must have known, with the present strong wind, it would be free within minutes. He softly traced my jaw line with his calloused, loving fingers. I saw hope and excitement for the future in his eyes, and I knew he could see it in my eyes as well. I felt him sigh, as his chest rose up against mine. "Rose, I am _so _lucky I got that full house."

I bet the confused look on my face was priceless. With my eyebrows raised, my mouth hanging open slightly in surprise, I asked bluntly, "What?" Even so, already my mouth was forming into a growing smile as I realized just how much I loved Jack's unpredictability and uniqueness.

He let out another content sigh. "Never mind, I'll tell you later. Come on, give me another kiss before I freeze to death."

Again, I very willingly obliged. I'd never looked forward to the future so much in my life. We were going to make it our own future, together. I could see the Santa Monica pier in my mind. I envisioned the roller coasters, and I felt the rebellious thrill of riding a horse with my legs on both sides. And through it all, Jack's hand would be intertwined with my own.

_…Oh, Jack…_

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**_Finis_**

Reviews are very much appreciated. I really hope you enjoyed this piece as much as I enjoyed writing it!


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